The state bill, sponsored by Republicans Rep. Joe Carr and Sen. Jim Tracy, would apply to towns statewide but would largely affect Davidson County. It would allow satellite cities like Belle Meade, Berry Hill and others to provide more of their own services — such as a court system, police service or public school system — even if they duplicate government services currently provided by the Metro government. The Metro Charter only allows them to currently provide the services they were providing when Metro government officially formed in April 1963.

In a blog post on the chamber’s website Friday morning, Chief Policy Officer Marc Hill writes that the legislation “would undo much of the government efficiency that has been created in Davidson County over the past 50 years.” Going on, he says it would “encourage the expansion and duplication of government within Davidson County.”

“The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce opposes HB1204/SB1285 because we advocate for a predictable business environment and oppose burdensome government regulation,” Hill writes. “We also want to make sure our local tax rates are competitive with other jurisdictions.”

8 Comments on this post:

If it would mess up Karl & the do nothing council & chamber money grubbing play pen, I am all for it. Time to weed out crooks and get people that care about Nashville in.

By:courier37027 on 3/8/13 at 10:24

From the "What Have You Done Lately for Me?" files, can the Nashville Chamber of Commerce hang their credentials on anything they have done for Goodlettsville, Bellevue, Joelton, Berry Hill in terms of business development? C of C footprint is about as far as you can see from the Mayor's office window.

By:Ask01 on 3/10/13 at 8:23

It is only natural Mayor Dean, Metro Council, and the Chamber of Commerce should quake in fear and predict dire consequences should people be allowed to decide they no longer wish to be part of the Nashville / Davidson County complex.

After all, no longer being able to pick the pockets of citizens living outside the downtown area to fund inner city improvements, they would be forced to require businesses pay their own way.

I will concede some aspects of the metro government concept offer advantages by consolidating duplicated services. Absolutely no argument on those points.

The darker side of the equation becomes evident when expenditures benefit not the entire county, but only select areas. In our case, the downtown has benefited greatly from the expansive tax base while outlying areas are left to rot.

I hope the bill passes overwhelmingly, causing Metro government to scramble madly to appease disgruntled districts, and act more fairly toward parts of their fiefdom so ignored since the consolidation.

In case you haven't guessed, I won't be celebrating the anniversary of the misguided establishment of a massive central government, but rather mourning the anschluss.